Samajwadi Party’s Maharashtra president Abu Asim Azmi has said learning Marathi should not be treated as wrong, but warned that threats, alleged assaults and public humiliation linked to language disputes could create fear among migrant workers and people from other states living and working in Maharashtra.
Speaking amid the ongoing Marathi language controversy, Azmi said residents should be encouraged to learn the state’s language, while opposing any attempt to make compliance a source of intimidation. According to the statement reported by Navbharat Times, he referred to alleged incidents involving taxi and autorickshaw drivers and said such conduct was unacceptable.
Azmi also highlighted the role of workers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and other states in Maharashtra’s economy. He said migrants are employed across a range of activities, from ground-level work to factories and larger industrial units. His comments placed the language dispute in the context of the workforce that supports everyday services, construction activity and industrial operations in the state.
Referring to the Covid-19 pandemic, Azmi said the return of large numbers of migrant workers to their villages had affected construction work in Maharashtra. He questioned whether the state could function without workers who have moved there from elsewhere and said people should have the right to live and work in the place of their choice.
Azmi appealed to the Maharashtra chief minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to focus on creating employment opportunities rather than allowing disputes between states and communities to escalate. He said local residents should receive jobs where they are available, but argued that people from outside Maharashtra should not be insulted or made to feel unsafe.
The remarks come as debates over the use and learning of Marathi intersect with the experience of migrant workers and service providers in cities. Taxi and autorickshaw drivers, in particular, operate at the visible interface between residents, visitors and the state’s language expectations. The report did not provide independent confirmation of the alleged incidents cited by Azmi or responses from other political organisations.
Azmi also objected to the reported depiction of Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin on a United Nations map, saying India’s territorial position should be represented correctly. He urged the prime minister to give greater attention to the country’s borders and territory.
On the Vishva Hindu Parishad’s reported position regarding Muslim participation in garba events, Azmi said communities should respect one another’s festivals and religious beliefs. He added that if Muslims were not welcome at an event, they need not attend, while maintaining that social relations and mutual respect should continue.
The language controversy, and the responses to it, are expected to remain part of the public debate in Maharashtra as political leaders address the relationship between regional identity, employment and the state’s migrant workforce.
